A pathway to connection at Crescent Road, Caerffili
It was a sunsoaked, community-led launch in Caerffili’s Dafydd Williams Park
Last weekend, we joined 450 Caerffili locals for the opening of a new gathering space on Crescent Road, led by the town’s very own Strictly star Amy Dowden. With bunting aflutter and live music echoing from Ffôs Caerffili Market, it was a true celebration of local culture, heritage, and performance.
This latest phase of our work in the town centre, delivered in partnership with Caerphilly County Borough Council, transforms an underwhelming outdoor space into a point of pride for the local community and an engaging point of arrival for visitors to the town centre.
Rich in storytelling, it’s no longer just a crossing of routes; it’s a destination in itself. Another step forward in the Caerffili Town 2035 vision to transform the town centre into a thriving place to live, work, and visit.
Where pride and play converge
Crescent Road has long been a place of convergence. It’s where locals heading to the high street, train station, or Ffôs cross paths with visitors arriving at the Crescent Road car park.
To help balance the experience for its breadth of visitors, we have created a space that offers something for everyone.
For visitors, it’s a warm welcome, with its clear signage, bright paving, and intuitive pathways offer clearer routes to the historic castle, Ffôs, and the centre of town.
For locals, it represents a proud step forward – one that directly addresses the concerns they brought to us in our Residents Committee ‘Walkshops.’ The scheme’s pathways aren’t just clearer; they’re now brightly lit, making residents feel safe walking home on winter evenings.
And, with abundant new planting and ample seating, it’s now a place to relax, reflect, and socialise. Where children can explore the town’s heritage and its new play trail.
Local culture made three-dimensional
At the centre of it all, a captivating 3D relief map designed by Welsh-based sculptor Sebastian Boyson sees the town cast in bronze and animated with diverse characters from Caerffili’s past and present, from the Green Lady through to Amy Dowden herself.
Combined with a host of paving artworks, and a prominent sculpture due to be installed later in the autumn, from local artists Ongl Studio, these interventions carry forward our drive to ensure art and storytelling are built into every phase of work across the town centre.
A taste of things to come
Works at Crescent Road are just part of phase two, with a pedestrian crossing — and a new rain garden at the entrance to Ffôs Caerffili — soon to follow. These will work together to deliver on the placemaking plan’s ambition to further connect pedestrians both to the town’s amenities and its culture.
Combined with our phase one works at Windsor & Stockland Squares, these first two phases are still only a taste of things to come.
“The future stages of our public realm work will connect locals with the castle, the town’s heritage, and a deeper sense of community in even more meaningful ways, and at much greater scale. We’re excited for Caerffili to see what’s next.”
Paul Seaver, Associate Director, Head of Urban Design
A big thank you to our friends at Cowshed for putting on this wonderful launch event.
If you’d like to talk about how we can bring connection, art, and play to your local public realm, get in touch with Paul today.
